Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services

Texas had the highest nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services of 51 states in 2021, at 72,252. Wyoming had the lowest, at 1,025. The median was 6,432 and the figure for the United States was 571,239. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest72,252Texas
Lowest1,025Wyoming
Median6,43251 states
United States571,239History

Map of states, 2021

Alabama: 8,776 countAlaska: 2,051 countArizona: 10,252 countArkansas: 5,513 countCalifornia: 63,288 countColorado: 9,894 countConnecticut: 4,703 countDelaware: 1,391 countDistrict of Columbia: 1,263 countFlorida: 54,854 countGeorgia: 28,486 countHawaii: 2,495 countIdaho: 2,589 countIllinois: 23,239 countIndiana: 8,940 countIowa: 3,815 countKansas: 3,482 countKentucky: 5,529 countLouisiana: 12,780 countMaine: 1,974 countMaryland: 10,456 countMassachusetts: 7,401 countMichigan: 16,446 countMinnesota: 6,432 countMississippi: 6,856 countMissouri: 8,406 countMontana: 2,046 countNebraska: 2,344 countNevada: 5,149 countNew Hampshire: 1,536 countNew Jersey: 13,953 countNew Mexico: 2,848 countNew York: 31,635 countNorth Carolina: 16,364 countNorth Dakota: 1,045 countOhio: 17,513 countOklahoma: 6,024 countOregon: 6,351 countPennsylvania: 17,157 countRhode Island: 1,389 countSouth Carolina: 9,593 countSouth Dakota: 1,334 countTennessee: 14,052 countTexas: 72,252 countUtah: 4,013 countVermont: 1,289 countVirginia: 13,078 countWashington: 8,351 countWest Virginia: 1,778 countWisconsin: 7,809 countWyoming: 1,025 count
  • Under 1,800
  • 1,800 to 3,700
  • 3,700 to 6,400
  • 6,400 to 9,700
  • 9,700 to 16K
  • 16K and over
count, 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2021

Texas: 72,252 countTexas72,252California: 63,288 countCalifornia63,288Florida: 54,854 countFlorida54,854New York: 31,635 countNew York31,635Georgia: 28,486 countGeorgia28,486Illinois: 23,239 countIllinois23,239Ohio: 17,513 countOhio17,513Pennsylvania: 17,157 countPennsylvania17,157Michigan: 16,446 countMichigan16,446North Carolina: 16,364 countNorth Carolina16,364Tennessee: 14,052 countTennessee14,052New Jersey: 13,953 countNew Jersey13,953Virginia: 13,078 countVirginia13,078Louisiana: 12,780 countLouisiana12,780Maryland: 10,456 countMaryland10,456Arizona: 10,252 countArizona10,252Colorado: 9,894 countColorado9,894South Carolina: 9,593 countSouth Carolina9,593Indiana: 8,940 countIndiana8,940Alabama: 8,776 countAlabama8,776Missouri: 8,406 countMissouri8,406Washington: 8,351 countWashington8,351Wisconsin: 7,809 countWisconsin7,809Massachusetts: 7,401 countMassachusetts7,401Mississippi: 6,856 countMississippi6,856Minnesota: 6,432 countMinnesota6,432Oregon: 6,351 countOregon6,351Oklahoma: 6,024 countOklahoma6,024Kentucky: 5,529 countKentucky5,529Arkansas: 5,513 countArkansas5,513Nevada: 5,149 countNevada5,149Connecticut: 4,703 countConnecticut4,703Utah: 4,013 countUtah4,013Iowa: 3,815 countIowa3,815Kansas: 3,482 countKansas3,482New Mexico: 2,848 countNew Mexico2,848Idaho: 2,589 countIdaho2,589Hawaii: 2,495 countHawaii2,495Nebraska: 2,344 countNebraska2,344Alaska: 2,051 countAlaska2,051Montana: 2,046 countMontana2,046Maine: 1,974 countMaine1,974West Virginia: 1,778 countWest Virginia1,778New Hampshire: 1,536 countNew Hampshire1,536Delaware: 1,391 countDelaware1,391Rhode Island: 1,389 countRhode Island1,389South Dakota: 1,334 countSouth Dakota1,334Vermont: 1,289 countVermont1,289District of Columbia: 1,263 countDistrict of Columbia1,263North Dakota: 1,045 countNorth Dakota1,045Wyoming: 1,025 countWyoming1,025Texas: 72,252 countTexas72,252California: 63,288 countCalifornia63,288Florida: 54,854 countFlorida54,854New York: 31,635 countNew York31,635Georgia: 28,486 countGeorgia28,486Illinois: 23,239 countIllinois23,239Ohio: 17,513 countOhio17,513Pennsylvania: 17,157 countPennsylvania17,157Michigan: 16,446 countMichigan16,446North Carolina: 16,364 countNorth Carolina16,364Tennessee: 14,052 countTennessee14,052New Jersey: 13,953 countNew Jersey13,953Virginia: 13,078 countVirginia13,078Louisiana: 12,780 countLouisiana12,780Maryland: 10,456 countMaryland10,456Arizona: 10,252 countArizona10,252Colorado: 9,894 countColorado9,894South Carolina: 9,593 countSouth Carolina9,593Indiana: 8,940 countIndiana8,940Alabama: 8,776 countAlabama8,776Missouri: 8,406 countMissouri8,406Washington: 8,351 countWashington8,351Wisconsin: 7,809 countWisconsin7,809Massachusetts: 7,401 countMassachusetts7,401Mississippi: 6,856 countMississippi6,856Minnesota: 6,432 countMinnesota6,432Oregon: 6,351 countOregon6,351Oklahoma: 6,024 countOklahoma6,024Kentucky: 5,529 countKentucky5,529Arkansas: 5,513 countArkansas5,513Nevada: 5,149 countNevada5,149Connecticut: 4,703 countConnecticut4,703Utah: 4,013 countUtah4,013Iowa: 3,815 countIowa3,815Kansas: 3,482 countKansas3,482New Mexico: 2,848 countNew Mexico2,848Idaho: 2,589 countIdaho2,589Hawaii: 2,495 countHawaii2,495Nebraska: 2,344 countNebraska2,344Alaska: 2,051 countAlaska2,051Montana: 2,046 countMontana2,046Maine: 1,974 countMaine1,974West Virginia: 1,778 countWest Virginia1,778New Hampshire: 1,536 countNew Hampshire1,536Delaware: 1,391 countDelaware1,391Rhode Island: 1,389 countRhode Island1,389South Dakota: 1,334 countSouth Dakota1,334Vermont: 1,289 countVermont1,289District of Columbia: 1,263 countDistrict of Columbia1,263North Dakota: 1,045 countNorth Dakota1,045Wyoming: 1,025 countWyoming1,025
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2021
count		Change on 2020
1Texas72,252+15.4%
2California63,288+8.7%
3Florida54,854+14%
4New York31,635+1.5%
5Georgia28,486+28.2%
6Illinois23,239+50.2%
7Ohio17,513+20.9%
8Pennsylvania17,157+13.2%
9Michigan16,446+17.4%
10North Carolina16,364+19.2%
11Tennessee14,052+23.6%
12New Jersey13,953+3.7%
13Virginia13,078+13.7%
14Louisiana12,780+26.3%
15Maryland10,456+9.4%
16Arizona10,252+11.3%
17Colorado9,894+13.3%
18South Carolina9,593+22.8%
19Indiana8,940+33.1%
20Alabama8,776+22.7%
21Missouri8,406+20.1%
22Washington8,351+14.3%
23Wisconsin7,809+18.7%
24Massachusetts7,401+12.1%
25Mississippi6,856+28.2%
26Minnesota6,432+23.6%
27Oregon6,351+12.8%
28Oklahoma6,024+13.6%
29Kentucky5,529+25.3%
30Arkansas5,513+27.4%
31Nevada5,149+17.5%
32Connecticut4,703+14.1%
33Utah4,013+12.4%
34Iowa3,815+25%
35Kansas3,482+13.7%
36New Mexico2,848+13.3%
37Idaho2,589+14.1%
38Hawaii2,495+1.5%
39Nebraska2,344+19.3%
40Alaska2,051+10%
41Montana2,046+8.3%
42Maine1,974+15.8%
43West Virginia1,778+18.1%
44New Hampshire1,536+19.2%
45Delaware1,391+14.4%
46Rhode Island1,389+16.9%
47South Dakota1,334+17.2%
48Vermont1,289+16.4%
49District of Columbia1,263+4.9%
50North Dakota1,045+14.6%
51Wyoming1,025+20%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in accommodation and food services (hotels, restaurants and bars) (NAICS 72), from the U.S. Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics.

Nonemployer Statistics: businesses with no paid employees that are subject to federal income tax, mostly the self-employed, counted from tax records, with receipts above small minimum amounts. Census says some years are not comparable with earlier ones, and they are marked as series breaks: 2018 in every sector (businesses were reclassified from their descriptions, which moved many out of other services), 2022 in every sector (new receipts cutoffs) and 2017 in utilities (the same reclassification). Most nonemployers are sole proprietors whose business may be a side activity. Published about 18 months after the reference year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/

MLA 9

Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2024) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021}},
  year = {2024},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services, 2021
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/03/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-accommodation-food-services/us-states?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services?

Texas, with 72,252 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: accommodation and food services?

Wyoming, with 1,025 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), accommodation and food services (NAICS 72), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings